Maurice `Red' Heller, 73, Crossing Guard

OBITUARIES

Parents, teachers, students and staff at Horizon Elementary and Bair Middle schools lost a friend over the weekend.

Maurice "Red" Heller, a crossing guard who kept students at the two schools safe for the past nine years, died in his sleep Saturday morning. He was 73.

Mike Cassaw, the principal at Horizon, said Mr. Heller made a point of saying hello to everyone. He once brought a little girl flowers on her birthday, Cassaw said.

"He was the type of guy that knew all the kids by name," Cassaw said.

Mr. Heller, a resident of Sunrise Lakes, could be seen patrolling the corner of Pine Island Road and Sunset Strip. Kids would stop and talk to him, sometimes missing several lights just to hang out with their friend.